This invention relates to an apparatus for cutting profiles and more particularly to an apparatus for cutting steel plate, plastics and other materials using a template which defines the required profile. The cutting may be effected using gas cutting equipment such as oxyacetylene or by plasma means or by using mechanical means such as fret-saws, punches or the like, as examples.
Profile cutting machines are known but these tend to be highly complex and costly and are thus not suitable for small fabrication works where the accuracy is not required and the cost cannot be Justified.
It is an object of this invention to provide a profile cutting machine which is of simple construction and easy to maintain and operate and which is suitable for the small workshop.
In accordance with this invention there is provided an apparatus for cutting profiles in materials, the apparatus comprising a bed with a platform to support a workpiece to be cut, a workpiece cutting device mounted on a horizontally extending arm and movable therealong, the arm being pivoted for arcuate swinging movement about a vertical axis, a template support positioned in co-planar relationship with the platform and adapted to support a cutting template, a template following device located above the template and adapted to track the required template profile, said device being coupled with the cutting device, the template following device having a sensor associated with a drive means adapted to move the template following device along the required profile defined by the template and being tracked by the sensor through control of the drive means, the sensor movement being thus coupled with the cutting device whereby said device moves to follow the required profile to cut the workpiece.
In one preferred construction there is provided an apparatus for cutting profiles in sheet materials the apparatus comprising a bed with a platform to support the sheet material forming a workpiece to be cut a workpiece cutting device mounted on a first horizontally extending arm pivoted for arcuate swinging movement about a vertical pivot axis, drive means for moving the cutting device along the arm, a template support table positioned in co-planar relationship with the platform and adapted to support a cutting template, drawing or like profile defining means, a second horizontal arm spaced from the first said arm and connected therewith through the pivot axis, the end of the second support arm remote from the pivot being movable by drive means, the second arm having a sensor associated with the drive means adapted to move the sensor along the required profile defined by the template and being tracked by the sensor through control of the drive means, the sensor movement being coupled with the cutting device whereby said cutting device follows the required profile to cut the workpiece.
In a more preferred construction the first and second arms form the limbs of a U-shaped frame the base of which forms a post pivoted on the machine bed. The template support platform may be located above or between the arms. The cutting device and the sensor being connected together by a U-shaped member to move in unison along respective arms.
In another preferred construction there is provided an apparatus for cutting profiles in materials, the apparatus comprising a bed with a platform to support a workpiece to be cut, a workpiece cutting device carried by one horizontally extending limb of a rigid U-shaped frame member mounted on, and movable along, an arm pivoted for arcuate swinging movement about a vertical axis, a template support positioned in co-planar relationship with the platform and adapted to support a cutting template, a template following device located above the template and mounted on the other limb of the U-shaped frame member, said device being adapted to track the required template profile, the template following device having a sensor associated with a drive means adapted to move the template following device along the required profile defined by the template.
In a preferred version each limb of the U-shaped frame member is mounted for movement along a respective arm each connected with a post forming a vertical pivot.
The aforesaid arms may extend from the post in parallel spaced relationship, each limb of the U-shaped frame being mounted to a respective arm by roller assemblies providing freedom of movement therealong.
Preferably the template following device comprises a wheel driven over the surface of the template, the wheel being orientated to follow the template through a photo-electric sensor.
This arrangement, according to the invention, provides a simple construction of profile cutting machine which is able to cut profiles in sheet material to an accuracy which is generally sufficient for the smaller so-called lo xe2x80x9cjobbingxe2x80x9d engineering workshop. In a broader aspect the essential features of the device according to this invention are the unshaped arms which move together about a vertical pivot and which accommodate the template. The sensor or tracking device on the top arm can move along the arm and is connected rigidly to the cutting device, and also the arms move together in an arcuate manner to provide for cutting in any direction across the plane of the workpiece.
In this invention the movements for transferring the image from the drawing to the cutting head and thus the workpiece are effected by one integral arm operating about one pivot point and giving the operator a full view of the drawing or template as well as the progress of the cutting operation.
This invention will be further described and explained in conjunction with the drawings showing two embodiments by way of examples. In the drawings: